‘Qissa Meherbano Ka’ is one of the most awaited dramas of this season. The audience was eagerly waiting to witness the onscreen chemistry of Mawra Hocane and Zaviyar Naumaan. The play is written by Fakhra Jabeen, directed by Iqbal Hussain and produced by Momina Duraid. The cast of this show includes Ahsan Khan, Mawra Hocane, Mashal Khan, Zaviyar Naumaan, Khushhal Khan, Areej Mohyudin, Mohammad Ahmad, Ghazala Kaifi, Zeb Rehman and Laila Zuberi.
Story
The first episode unfolds the intricate life of Meherbano, played by Mawra Hocane, who is a mature, sober and impeccable lady. Her Niece, Noor, played by Areej Mohyudin, is the exact opposite of her aunt; she is a blunt, outspoken and jaunty teenage girl. They both live in a humongous house with Meherbano’s father, Abba Miyaan, played by Muhamad Ahmed. Abba Miyan is a retired professor, his family is in a financial crunch and they barely make ends meet.
Mehran, played by Zaviyar Naumaan, is a young and sophisticated boy. He is a neighbour as well as a distant relative of Meherbano. Mehran is deeply in love with Meherbano, however, his mother, played by Ghazala Kaifi, is absolutely against it.
The latter half of the episode takes viewers in the flashback. It appears that Meherbano got married 10 years ago, in exchange for a vow that has something to do with her brother. The untold circumstances render her life completely appalling. Nonetheless, the first episode does not reveal much of the story. The opening episode is definitely gripping, in terms of the story, as it spawns curiosity in the viewer’s mind to know more about Meherbano’s past.
Performances
‘Qissa Meherbano ka’ is a debut project of Zaviyar Naumaan, son of the legendary actor Numaan Ijaz. As far as his performance is concerned, he appears extremely comfortable in front of the camera. His dialogue delivery, expressions and body language entail maturity and calmness. He looks quite promising in the role of Mehran. Needless to say, Mawra Hocane’s performance was outstanding as well. However, Noor’s character appears a little loud. The performance by Areej Mohyudin could have been a little refined and less exaggerated. Muhammad Ahmad is exceptional as usual. Likewise, Ghazal Kaifi does an excellent job in a negative role.
Direction
The direction of ‘Qissa Meherbano Ka’ is not critically astounding. There are some scenes in which the camera is not steady. Dubbing and lip-syncing of a few dialogues are not properly synchronized. The beautiful and scenic backdrop of Islamabad definitely provides aesthetic effects in the cinematography of this show. All the recent dramas of Hum TV have improved camera work in terms of wide angles and moving camera shots. Nonetheless, the direction and camera work of this play could have been improved.
Inappropriate Casting
The casting of this show seems a little inappropriate. Noor is shown to be at least 10 years younger than Meherbano, however, Areej Mohyudin does not look 10 years younger than Mawra Hocane. The aunt-niece duo appears odd on screen. It is often argued that senior female actors, who are in their late 30s or early 40s, are only cast as bhabhi, saas, elder sister or mother, the role could have been played by a senior actress, making the scenario more sensible. Mawra Hocane undoubtedly did her best to drench in the sobriety and maturity of this character, but she cannot look 10 years older than Areej Mohyudin. If the creators desired to cast Mawra as Meherbano, the choice for Noor’s character should have been more thoughtful.
Conclusion‘Qissa Meherbano ka’ is an interesting show as a whole. The drama has a different story that bears the shades of curiosity and intrigue. This play will definitely occupy a decent position in TRPs by the advent of other characters and the progression of the story.
